The Healthy Kids Community Challenge (HKCC) is Ontario’s new drive to support the health of our children.
The Healthy Kids Community Challenge (HKCC) is Ontario’s new drive to support the health of our children. Funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, the HKCC is a coordinated, community driven approach to developing healthy communities for children aged 12 years and under. The Challenge is a multi-sectoral program where community partners work to develop and implement programs, policies, and initiatives that promote and enable healthy behaviours in an effort to prevent and reduce childhood obesity rates.
Niagara is one of 45 communities across Ontario taking part in The Healthy Kids Community Challenge. With $1.125M in funding, partners from different sectors will be joining forces to deliver interventions focused on one specific theme every nine months for the next three years. The first theme has been identified as: Run. Jump. Play. Every Day. The City of Welland has been allocated $29,216 annually to engage Welland children, and focus specifically on encouraging daily physical activity and making Welland a community where it’s easy for kids to be active.
Sarah Ane, Community Development Coordinator for the City of Welland, is organizing Welland’s Healthy Kids Program. The HKCC initiatives and programming are designed to target priority neighbourhoods with a variety of activities that will engage children throughout the summer months when they are not receiving regular physical activity via their school curriculum. Through the development of swimming skills, neighbourhood block parties, and travelling playgrounds, children will have the opportunity to remain active and connected with their community. “We’re anticipating that with the variety of engaging programs, we should be able to serve 7,000 children through the Healthy Kids Community Challenge this summer in Welland,” said Ane.
The Healthy Kids Community Challenge in Welland Challenge launches Friday, June 24, with over 700 children from three participating Welland elementary schools gathering for a day in the park that will include recreation opportunities such as swimming, Zumba, baseball, organized games, and learning opportunities. On Saturday, June 25, the Dain City neighbourhood is proud to open their new splash pad to the public, along with scheduled recreational activities for families and children. The weekend closes on Sunday, June 26, with the official launch of the City-wide Passport to Pools Program that will keep Welland’s youth goal-oriented by developing their water safety skills all summer long to earn incredible prizes. For more information on Healthy Kids Community Challenge Niagara visit the website at www.healthykidsniagara.ca , or visit www.welland.ca for the summer program schedule.
